Winemaker Notes
A deep garnet purple, this Syrah opens with concentrated aromas of black raspberry, smoked meat and black currant. Layers of dark plum, blackberry and milk chocolate are grounded by notes of graphite and black pepper. Pair with braised short ribs with creamy polenta or roasted king oyster mushrooms with asiago cheese. Drink now through 2035.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Syrah Black Bart is one inky colored Syrah. Offering up impressive amounts of jammy blackberry and blueberry fruits, it has classic peppery herbs and gamey nuances, medium to full-bodied, a seamless texture, and beautiful length. It's a classic, powerful Napa Valley Syrah that stays balanced and light on its feet. Drink this smoking effort over the coming 7-8 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Syrah Black Bart is a little reticent to begin. With coaxing, it offers glimpses at baked plums, black cherry compote and blueberry pie notes with hints of tar, tobacco, black pepper, star anise, garrigue and fertile loam. Full-bodied, the palate packs in the black fruit and savory layers with a firm frame of rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and peppery.
Rating: 94+
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.